May 2007

Have you considered adding a link for Atheists contemplating suicide – although I really don’t know what sound advice you could offer that would make someone think twice about going through with it. They’re certainly not going to find hope in your message. Your first commandment should be “Thou shall not kill thyself – it would be bad”

I doubt that atheists are any more prone to suicide than anyone else, so it would not be appropriate for me to have a page for suicidal atheists. In fact, I would never want to do anything to perpetuate the stereotype that atheists are depressed.

As for commandments about suicide, I think that’s covered under “don’t kill.” Certainly self murder is murder.

It’s true that there’s not a lot of hope to be found on the IAmAnAtheist site, but there is nothing there to cause despair, either. There is great fulfillment and joy to be found in the world, whether or not there is a deity of some sort. I would be happy to set straight anyone who thinks otherwise.